Reggae and Roots Pre Amps for Kick and Bass DI

[Baraka]

The big reggae bass sound came from placing the mic inside the cab, behind the speaker.
The DI will only take you so far.
Try API 3124, i forget which, but either studio 1 or tuff gong tracked countless records on an API console. 3124 ain't vintage, but it's close as you'll get from a new unit

[Karloff70]

Originally Posted by Baraka

Try API 3124, i forget which, but either studio 1 or tuff gong tracked countless records on an API console. 3124 ain't vintage, but it's close as you'll get from a new unit

Some would argue CAPI VP26/28 is closer.....

[waxx]

A big part of the classic reggae sound was made on MCI (Dynamic Sound, Joe Gibbs, King Tubby's,...), Helios (Randy's 17), API (Channel One and all the labels that used their studio) and Soundcraft (Black Ark) consoles, and as jamaican studio's were mostly ghetto studio's with little budget, they used the onboard pre's...

in the first years they (Studio One, Treasure Isle, JRC and King Edwards) used american equipment says the legend, so i guess langevin or RCA or UA tube consoles and tape machines. What leslie kong of Beverly's (Toots & The Maytals & more) used i don't know

API is a good starting point here i think for the classic sound of the 70's and early 80's. For before you need tube consoles or the like...

But as said, most of the sound comes from the playing and engineering skills of the engineer/producers of that time, not from their equipment wich was often rather lofi and/or old and beaten up, even for their time. And most studio's also modded their equipment like also happened in the rest of the world then.

for bass, the trick is the right instrument and amp (fender jazzbass or hohner violinbass on an ampeg svt with an 810 cab as example). Put a di on the amp and mic the speaker with a D12 or similar and blend both till the right sound. tube or non tube is not that important, but colour helps here. and the bass shoud sit under the kick (so hipass the kick a bit at 70hz with an slow slope) to be right (reverse of most music), and have little to no attack or hi frequencies.

[waxx]

Originally Posted by Baraka

The big reggae bass sound came from placing the mic inside the cab, behind the speaker.
The DI will only take you so far.
Try API 3124, i forget which, but either studio 1 or tuff gong tracked countless records on an API console. 3124 ain't vintage, but it's close as you'll get from a new unit

it was the infamous Channel One studio (sly & robbie, mighty daimonds, linval thompson, leroy smart, ...) who had an api 2488 console, but Studio One nor tuff gong ever recorded in that studio. Studio one had their own studio at Brendford road with an tube console and tuff gong used randy's and the black ark and joe gibbs as studio (see my post above for more info) next to Island studio's in the UK (with an helios). Much Later they build an own studio but that was only in the latter years of the label and bob himself did not record much there.

[Baraka]

Thanks for the knowledge. Jamaican music from that era was very influential on my music writing even to this day.

[chanta]

Baraka said

The DI will only take you so far

Baraka, This is a very good point to not forget! I think the DI bass range is a bit smaller than what a mic could pick up from a ampeg cab.

waxx quoted

API is a good starting point here i think for the classic sound of the 70's and early 80's. For before you need tube consoles or the like...

Thanks waxx, I know a well known producer who is recording on the small, modern API board. The recordings are not so close to the vintage sound of this era we are speaking of, but are very clear and excellent quality.

I think we all need to get over recreating past sounds recorded, and build off what technology we have now. We will never recreate sounds of the past, but can waste a lot of time and money TRYING to get there but we are shooting for the impossible. what a paradox it has become!

But as said, most of the sound comes from the playing and engineering skills of the engineer/producers of that time, not from their equipment wich was often rather lofi and/or old and beaten up, even for their time.

That is just a way of life in Jamaica for sure, make the best of what you have!!!

"Who feels it knows it" couldn't be more true

Recording reggae has a special peace of gear many lack who try this genre for fun, it's called a "spiritual tube" ha ha. I can hear recordings without it. Seriously! It is true for most genres. When you really put the idea of reggae "just for fun", or jamming at the bottom of the list and possess a deeper mentality (i.e. blues side of life, spirituality, and progressive mindedness) type element priority in your performance, for reggae, you spark something very interesting and powerful in your performance. It is true with music in general maybe.

In the earth dimension, engineering skills are very important indeed!!! There are so many tricks that give reggae it's defined sound. A blend of rock and RnB to start.

Thanx waxx for your thorough input!!

So API pre is the popular answer so far.

Anyone else? ...

[string6theory]

Originally Posted by chanta

Baraka said

(clipped)...
So API pre is the popular answer so far.

Anyone else? ...

I'm just a white dude in LA, but luv the sound ur after... and do luv recording reggae.

I have success using an API 3124mb+ which has a nice transformer balanced bus output (as well as 4 direct pre outputs and inserts), which is cool for quickly/easily auditioning & blending miced and/or DI bass tacks together. One insert goes to a Little labs IBP jr, if needed). The 2-bus aux send, however, is in mono, but does return in stereo (so, cool for an old mono-stereo verb like pcm70, etc.).

I've always had the 3124mb+ bus outputs feeding an API 5500 and then 2500, and all my final track channels go to (another API) 8200A line mixer - which also has transformer balance bus outputs. This acts as a final gain stager before hitting the converters.

The units are all stacked together for easy access. So, the combined stages act as a sort of "mini" API console, or that's the idea any way Like a less expensive DSM system.

I do think this sort of analog front-end path is simply awesome sounding and works great for me.

Best of luck to you!

[Dene]

P-Bass through Ampeg amp is what Robbie Shakespeare used on most of those old records...
waxx has everything else right...

[Baraka]

Originally Posted by string6theory

I'm just a white dude in LA, but luv the sound ur after...

And I'm envious of your API setup.

Keep in mind that Jimmy Cliff just reignited his career by working with white dudes in LA!

[Dean Roddey]

I use the DI input on my Great Spliffer pre-amp.

[string6theory]

Originally Posted by Baraka

And I'm envious of your API setup.

Keep in mind that Jimmy Cliff just reignited his career by working with white dudes in LA!

Ahh, nice! LA's got some vibes going on. I love catching the Wailers when they're in town. Family Man truly blows me away every time. For me, the holy grail of reggae bass tone with groove for days (make that years)! I'll keep an eye out for jimmy.

Agree with above poster too, a nice Ampeg goes a long way. I'll typically blend mine with a U5.

But heck, any decent bass, amp, pre, DI, etc. can do the job when the player is grooving! Pocket that bass groove n ur half way there

[capullo]

the key is : you need the right bass player...

[string6theory]

Originally Posted by capullo

the key is : you need the right bass player...

absa-fricken-lutely

Then a vocalist with a keen sense of melody.

[CJ1973]

Save the effort...go listen to UB40 lol